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March 4, 1952 H PALMISANO 2,587,756

CORD GUIDE FOR VENETIAN BLIND TILT RAILS Filed March 28, 1950 2SHEETS-SHEET l Wzd 5M.

March 1952 1. H; PALMISANO 2,587,756

CORD GUIDE FOR VENETIAN BLIND TILT RAILS Filed March 28, 1950 2SHEETSSHEET 2 INVENTOR. i 17 paZ7ZZ(5cz7Z&

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Patented Mar. 4, 1952 CORD GUIDE FOR VENETIAN BLIND TILT RAILS IgnazioH. Palmisano, Chicago, Ill.

Application March 28, 1950, Serial N 0. 152,403

1 Claim.

My invention relates to Venetian blind installations, and moreparticularly to the means for suspending and operating the blind.Usually, a head rail is employed as a base from which the blind issuspended; and the head rail forms a support for the attachment ofhardware for the tilting and raising of the blind. Blinds constitutedalong the lines described are difficult to remove for cleaning, and somecarry a mechanism when they are removed, so that the cleaning or washingoperation may be detrimental to the mechanism and cause it to rust orbind when the blind is operated. It is therefore one object of thepresent invention to provide a Venetian blind which eliminates the headrail, and confines the control to the tilt rail and the hardwareadjoining the same.

A further object is to devise a simple mechanism for the tilt rail forthe lifting of the blind.

A still further object is to design supports for the tilting andretaining hardware which enable the tilt rail to be readily removed fromthe same when the blind is to be carried to a cleaning or washinglocation.

Another object is to make a connection between the blind and theaccessory hardware whereby the blind may be tilted in the usual mannerWithout affecting the lifting mechanism.

A still further object is to design a blind whose uppermost slat is at aheight well above the bottom of the facia plate, so that no spaceintervenes to permit drafts or the entrance of light when the blind isclosed.

An additional object is to design the lifting mechanism in a manner tobelargely concealed and allow the blind to present a neat appearance.

An important object is to employ a minimum number of parts in the makeupof the improved blind, whereby to render its cost considerably less thanthat of a comparable standard blind.

With the above objects in view, and any others which may suggestthemselves from the description to follow, a better understanding of theinvention may behad by reference to the accompanying drawings, in whichFig. 1 is a front elevation of the improved blind, partly broken away;

Fig. 2 is a magnified section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1;

Figs. 3 and 4 are, respectively, detail sections on the lines 3-3 and4-4 of Fig. 2;

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of one form of the blind asremoved from itsframe;

Fig. 6 is an enlargement of a detail in the upper left-hand portion ofFig. 1;

Fig. 7 is a section on the line |1 of Fig. 6;

Fig. 8 is an enlargement of a detail in the upper right-hand portion ofFig. 1;

Fig. 9 is a section on the line 99 of Fig. 8 i

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 5, showing a modification Fig. 11 is afragmental plan view, on an enlarged scale, showing the tilt rail androller for guiding one of the lifting cords downwardly;

Fig. 12 is a front view of the showing in Fig. 11;

Fig. 13 is a section on the line l3-l3 of Fig..12;

Fig. 14 is a perspective view of a fragment of the blind, showing oneform .of ladder-tape rungs; and

Fig. 15 is a similar view,.showing another form of such rungs.

In accordancewith the foregoing, '25 denotes the sides and 2| the top ofa conventional window frame designed to receive the improved Venetianblind. For this purpose, the sidesZll are provided with standard bracketplates 23 which are extended with frontal keepers 24 for the'facia board25. One of the bracket plates 23 carries a suit- .able tilt mechanism23, while the other plate carries a standard retainer 30. The tiltmechanism 28 is extended with a receptacle3l in which one spindle 33 ofa tilt rail 35 is fitted; and the retainer 30 has a receptacle 36designed to seat the other spindle 31 of the tilt rail. Thus, by openingthe latch 40 of the retainer 30 as shown in Fig. 9, it is possible toremove the spindle 3'! from the retainer 30; and the other spindle 33may be withdrawn from the receptacle 3! by pulling action, so that thetilt rail and the blind depending therefrom become separatedfrom thewindow frame and its mechanism in such event.

The blind is made with the usual series of slats 45, these beingsupported between conventional ladder-tapes 46. These have transverserungs 41, and Fig. 3 shows that in each case one of the rungs 41overlies the slat 45, while the companion rung underlies the same, thisconstruction forming a retainer for the slat against wind or otherdisturbance.

The lifting mechanismior the blind comprises a pair of cords 50 whichrise from a position in front of the blind to pass through an inclinedtube 5| carried by the tilt rail 35 to positions over the same. The tube5! has a freely journaled roller 53 for the guidance of the cords 55, aswell as a conventional cord lock 55.

Fig. 5 shows that the cords 50 diverge after rising from thepassage 5Bin which the tube 5| is located. Thus, one of the cords extends-to aposition :centrally of the proximate ladder-tape 46, while the othercord extends a farther distance to a position proximate to the remoteladder-tape 46 on the opposite side of the blind. In both cases, thetilt rail is made with a cavity 58 and a guide roller 50 for trainingthe cord sections 6| downwardly along the inner side of the relatedladder-tapes 46, and midway between the sides thereof, as shown in Figs.11 to 13. Fig. 2 shows that the tilt rail 35 is made considerably widerthan the bottom rail 65 of the blind; and Fig. 3 shows the position ofone of the descending lifting cord sections as spaced both from theladder-tape 46 and the related edges of the upper slats 45.

It is noted that a pin 59a is embedded in the rail crosswise, the outerportion of the pin terminating somewhat beyond the edge of the rail.Such outer portion is free to receive the roller 60, the training of thecord section 61 over the same in a downward directionas indicated inFig. 5-serving to retain the roller from sliding off the pin. Theabsence of any retaining element in the free end of the pin thereforefacilitates the easy mounting or removal of the roller.

A vertical passage 5% is shown adjoining each cavity 58. This passageserves as a clearance for the downward travel of the cord section 6| andthe position of the passage is calculated to lead the cord section to bespaced from the laddertape and upper slats as stated before and shown inFig. 3. from drawing on the edges of the slats or being frayed thereby;and the passage 59b also maintains the cord alined on the roller. Whenthe ladder-tapes are fastened to the tilt rail, as shown in Fig. 2, theyare kept by the outer ends of the pins 59a from frictionally engagingthe rollers 60 or interfering with the rotation thereof. At the sametime the tapes serve as guards relative to the pins to further insurethe retention of the rollers thereon.

Fig. 14 shows cord-type ladder-tape rungs 61 secured to the tapes bystitching 68; and Fig. 15 shows strand-type rungs 59 in groups formingpart of strips sewed to the ladder-tape.

A modification of the tilt rail 35 is shown in Fig. 10. A cover 75 islaid over the tilt rail and secured marginally by clips 76. In orderthat the cover may not interfere with the free action of the cordsections 6!, the rail 35 is recessed along the middle as indicated at 11to seat the cord sections 6! on the floor of the recess, the

side walls of the latter being made with entrances 18 leading the cordsto the perforations 58. The lifting cord sections 6| are thereforeprotected from dust by the cover and the latter also conceals them fromview.

It will be apparent that the novel Venetian blind construction has anumber of advantageous features. First, the supporting and tiltinghardware of the blind is carried entirely by the window frame brackets23, so that the removal of the blind in the manner previously describedis easily accomplished, enabling the blind to be carried to the placewhere it may be cleaned or Washed. Further, the instant constructioneliminates the need for, and cost of, the conventional head rail byemploying the top 2| of the window frame as the basic support-of theblind. Further, the passage of the lifting cords in upward directionthrough the tilt rail 35 is guided by the tube 5|, whose inclinedposition affords a convenient entrance for the cords from the front ofthe blind to a position centrally of the tilt rail, the roller 53facilitating the training of the cords to the horizontal positionindicated in Figs. 1 and 5. Further, the training of the cord sections6| to alternate sides of the This arrangement prevents the cord blind issimply accomplished by guiding the cords over the transversely-journaledrollers 60 in the side edges of the tilt rail; and the descent of thecords is directed, inside the related ladder-tapes for the maximumconcealment of the cords. Further, Fig. 7 shows that the uppermost slatof the blind is well above the bottom of the facia board 25, so that nopassage occurs between the same and the blind to admit drafts or light.Further, the spread of the ladder-tapes in upward direction by virtue ofthe greater width of the tilt rail 35 over that of the bottom rail 65,plus the accurate position of the passages 59b, affords a space alongthe edges of the slats for the passage of the lifting cords withclearance from the ladder-tapes and the related edges of the upperslats. Further, the arrangement of the rungs 41 on alternate sides ofthe slats at each point of passage anchors the slats against vibrationor displacement due to wind or other disturbances. Further, the pins 59aare strongly embedded in the tilt rail and enable the rollers 66 to bemounted or removed with ease and to be retained on the pin without extraparts. Finally, the novel construction is accomplished by a minimum ofsimple and durable parts.

While I have described the invention alon specific lines, various minorchanges or refinements may be made therein without departing from itsprinciple, and I reserve the right to employ all such changes andrefinements as may come within the scope and spirit of the appendedclaim.

I claim:

A Venetian blind installation for window frames comprising supportingbrackets attached in the top corners of the frame, a tilt mechanismcarried by one supporting bracket, a bearing hanger carried by the othersupporting bracket, a tilt rail suspended operatively between the tiltmechanism and the bearing hanger, a conventional Venetian blindsuspended from the tilt rail, and a lifting mechanism associated withthe tilt rail L and including cords trained over the same, guide meansnear the side edges of the tilt rail for continuing said cords indownward direction to assume positions inwardly of the blind tapes, suchguide means occurring opposite alternate tapes of the blind andincluding cavities in the edges of the rail, pins driven through saidcavities transversely into the rail and with outer ends projectingslightly from the rail edges, and rollers slidable on the pins from theoutside to positions guiding said cords where they assume the downwardcourse, said tapes lying against the outer ends of the pins to normallyclear the rollers but form guards for them in case they assume anoutward sliding tendency.

IGNAZIO H. PALMISANO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,007,376 Latham July 9, 19352,103,394 Wade Dec. 28, 1937 2,122,224 Wade et al June 28, 19382,190,884 Rosenstein Feb. 20, 1940 2,200,349 Walker May 14, 19402,297,627 Loehr Sept. 29, 1942 2,407,554 Isserstedt Sept. 10, 19462,481,714 Bezjian Sept. 13, 1949

